Will the Toronto Blue Jays regret not re-signing reliever Seranthony Dominguez?

The Toronto Blue Jays front office has been active in addressing the relief corps this offseason.

The club signed side-arming reliever Tyler Rogers to a three-year contract and also acquired right-hander Chase Lee in a trade with the Detroit Tigers.

While those moves certainly add depth, one departure still stands out, the decision not to bring back hard-throwing reliever Seranthony Dominguez.

Of all the players Toronto allowed to leave ahead of the 2026 season, Dominguez may prove to be the most difficult to replace.

The right-hander played a crucial role in stabilizing the Blue Jays' bullpen late in 2025 after being acquired from the Baltimore Orioles at the trade deadline in July.

At the time, Toronto's relief corps was struggling to hold late leads.

Dominguez quickly changed that narrative, providing high-leverage strikeouts and consistent shutdown innings as the team pushed toward the postseason.

Now a member of the Chicago White Sox, Dominguez has picked up right where he left off.

In his first two appearances with Chicago, he tossed two scoreless innings while recording a strikeout.

His strong form has also carried over to the World Baseball Classic, where he is pitching for the Dominican Republic national baseball team.

Through three tournament outings, the 31-year-old has allowed just one hit while striking out two over three scoreless innings, even earning a win against Nicaragua national baseball team.

Over his final 19 appearances with the club, Dominguez surrendered only two earned runs across the season's final two months.

The Blue Jays have clearly retooled their bullpen with additions like Rogers and Lee, but replacing Dominguez's ability to deliver key strikeouts in pressure moments may prove difficult.

Toronto could look internally, possibly giving opportunities to Rule 5 selections Angel Bastardo or Spencer Miles, though filling Dominguez's role is no small task.

There is, however, a positive outlook. Toronto's bullpen appears deeper than it did at the start of last season, when pitchers like Chad Green, Jacob Barnes, and Richard Lovelady struggled before being replaced as the year progressed.

Still, Dominguez's departure remains puzzling given his shutdown ability in high leverage situations.

Over his major league career, which began with the Philadelphia Phillies, he owns a 23-23 record with a 3.50 ERA, 40 saves, and 360 strikeouts in 322 appearances.

He also contributed during Toronto's 2025 postseason run, appearing in 12 playoff games and posting a 2-0 record with a 3.18 ERA as the Blue Jays advanced to the World Series.

As the 2026 season unfolds, it will be worth watching whether Toronto's revamped bullpen can match the impact Dominguez once provided.

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